Thoothukudi firing case shifted to CB-CID

Chennai: A day after issuing a Government Order (GO) permanently closing down and sealing the Sterlite Copper Smelter Plant at Thoothukudi, the Tamilnadu government today cancelled the 342.22 acres of land allotted for the Vedanta Limited, which owns the plant.

In a letter to Vedanta Limited, the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamilnadu Limited (SIPCOT) said there have been a series of agitations and protests against the establishment of Copper Smelter Plant Phase-II, expressing concerns about the pollution caused by the existing plant of the Vedanta Limited.

"The people of the area have also been raising concerns about their health on account of the operations of the plant," it said.

As the allotment of the land for the proposed expansion has been made by SIPCOT, in larger public interest, the land allotment made for the proposed expansion of Copper Smelter Plant Phase-II by Vedanta Limited was hereby cancelled, it said.

"The land price collected for the said land allotment will be refunded as per norms of SIPCOT," the letter signed by

The sleuths attached to SIPCOT and Vadapagam police station were investigating the incident that occurred on 22 May. In the violence, 13 anti-Sterlite protesters died.

In connection, the local police team were conducting investigations. In an official order, it was informed that the case has been transferred to the special branch for further investigations.

Meanwhile, Governor Banwarilal Purohit today visited the house of Selva Sekar who was shot dead in Thoothukudi during the anti-Sterlite protest. He paid floral tributes to his portrait and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family.

Following this, he visited the Government Hospital where those injured during the violence were admitted.